Unnatural History

Friday, May 28, 2010

Subscribe to SFX Magazine and get 4 Pax Britannia books free!

If you haven't already taken up the offer, there's still a few days left for you to subscribe to SFX magazine and... Well, I'll let the guys from SFX themselves tell you:

Subscriptionsare great. Not only do you get your monthly fix of SFX delivered straight to your front door early but you save oodles of cash by subscribing AND you receive a coverline free copy, available exclusively to subscribers!

Not bad eh? Best of all though for the next few days new subscribers will receive four incredible books from Abaddon’s steampunk range Pax Britannia: the first three Quicksilver books (Human Nature, Leviathan RisingandUnnatural Factoryby Jonathan Green), and the firstEl Sombrabook by Al Ewing.

Doctor Who by lightning

Thursday, May 27, 2010

BBC National Short Story Award 2010

The BBC National Short Story Award has launched its fifth year. The award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000. The runner up receives £3,000 and three further shortlisted authors, £500 each.

This year’s award is now open for submissions from publishers, agents and published authors from the UK.

The closing date for entries is 18th June 2010.To find out more, click here.

Blood Royal - reviewers needed

Now I know that although Blood Royal isn't on official release yet some of you lucky people have got a copy already, and have possibly even read it as well. Well, if that's the case, I would be eternally grateful if you would pop a review up on Amazon (or your preferred web store). As they say, every little helps...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Fiction Rule of Thumb

33 - something a little different

July sees the publication of 33, a collection of short stories that pushes the genre into new territory, or at least into the 33 borough of East and West London. And one of the short stories you'll find within its pages is I Love Richmond, by yours truly.

This was something of a departure for me, as it's not the type of subject matter I normally write about. It's contemporary, it's a love story, it's told entirely through dialogue, and it's... Well, to say anymore would give away the twist.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Who is Oli Smith?

Until the autumn of last year, I had never heard of Oli Smith. Then, the next thing I know, he's writing an 11th Doctor DYD. And then it turns out he's also writing an original 11th Doctor and Amy novel. And then he's written the audio story that was given away free with the Telegraph (which was a significantly better story that Matt Smith's reading of it - especially his 'impression' of Amy Pond).

But where did this Oli Smith come from? According to his website, he is 'a freelance writer living in London. He has written various comics and short stories as well as a few non-fiction works, mostly for Doctor Who.' But that doesn't really tell me anything either. I mean, how did he come from nowhere to write not only a DYD but also a novel, making him one of a very select band of writers? (I enquired about writing a Doctor Who novel once and didn't even get an acknowledgement that my letter had even been received!)

It was a great evening, the focus of which was a panel of authors, chaired by SFX editor Dave Bradley, discussing the question "Millions of people watch SF on TV and at the cinema - why don’t more people read SF books too?”

After all that was said and done it seemed to me that millions of people don't watch SF on TV and at the cinema. Most of the time what they're watching is in fact fantasy, or other genres dressed up in a SF costume. Doctor Who is not science fiction - it's fantasy. Likewise Star Trek, Iron Man (and all his ilk), Avatar and Star Wars. They're all fantasy franchises really. Same is true of my own Pax Britannia books.

Anyway, I had a great time catching up with mighty Dan Abnett, Nik Vincent-Abnett and Graham McNeill, Dave Bradley and I discovered we have a mutual love of the humour (and fanboy references) in Iron Man 2, and I also caught up with the inestimable Jenni Hill from Abaddon Books (and her very tall fella Mike).

I also had the pleasure of meeting a genuine fan, one Joe Kelly, who remembers Spellbreaker from the first time round and loves my first novel The Dead and the Damned. (Made me quite nostalgic for Badenov's Band, as it happened.) He, Graham and I also spent some time discussing the ready made critical audience there is for Warhammer and 40K books.

When all's said and done, it was a great evening with much SF-related banter and a fair few gags too (and I loved China Mieville's description of what a science fiction movie is), so thanks SFX and thanks Waterstone's - perhaps we can do it again some time.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

We have a winner!

It's been a couple of weeks since my sister-in-law ran the London Marathon in aid of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, but I finally caught up with her on Friday. We put all the names of those people who so generously entered the competition I ran recently to win a walk on part in Dark Side into a metaphorical hat and she picked a winner.

But before I announce who it is on behalf of myself and my sister-in-law I would just like to say how delighted and overwhelmed we were by the Pax Britannia fans' generosity. The competition raised over £130 for the D.A.A.T. which was incredible, so thanks must go to all those who entered.

But, back to the business in hand. The winner of the Dark Side competition is...

Jared Shurin

So watch this space to find out how Jared will finally be immortalised in print later in the year.

Long-time Black Library fan Xhalax has not always been my keenest supporter, to the point where when I met her at Games Day once I didn't dare introduce myself. (Sad, I know.) But since then I've got to know her a little and the other day she sent me this missive via Facebook:

Well Mr. Green, I've just finished The Relic in Legends of the Space Marines and I really enjoyed it. I've always had a soft spot for Dreadnoughts, so the outcome of the story definitely made me smile....as did the general Dreadnoughty goodness of the whole thing.

That meant a lot to me. And then I came across this on Amazon:

THE RELIC (Black Templars) by Jonathan Green

Brother Jarold of the Black Templars well remembers the moment he witnessed a mech-enhanced greenskin warboss, Morkrull Grimskar, teleport away with the unconscious form of Emperor's Champion Ansgar as his prisoner. Within his Dreadnought body-shell, Brother Jarold has vowed to locate Brother Ansgar and either bring him back in triumph or that they may lay his body to rest. Then while battling the orks in the desolate ice fields on Armageddon, a long lost brother is found underneath the ice.

**** Four Stars! Author Jonathan Green writes his story from the grand view point of a Dreadnought. I found it to be enlightening to say the least. ****

Pinch, punch, first of the month

Nostalgia kick

I don't know why, but I've been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately. Yesterday I sat down and watched the very first two episodes of the seminal Robin of Sherwood. I own every series on DVD now (I wore out the VHS versions long ago) but it's been a while since I watched them - years in fact. But I intend to watch the whole lot again in order over the next few weeks.

As well as the 80s I also love my iPod - I recently bought the theme music to that other 80s classic of television, The One Game. I used to only be able to satisfy my desire to listen to Saylon Dola by leaving the menu page on the DVD running but now I can listen to it wherever and whenever I like. And you can listen to it right here...

And then there's Knightmare. I loved this as a kid, which was hardly surprising seeing as how I was a Fighting Fantasy fan and this was the closest I was ever going to get to living my dream. But thanks to Mark Charn Newton I also came across this the other day - scathing and funny, and just a little bit rude. You were warned.

About Me

I am a freelance writer and editor, well known for my contributions to the Fighting Fantasy range of adventure gamebooks. I have also written for such diverse properties as Sonic the Hedgehog, Doctor Who, Star Wars and Games Workshop's worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000.
I am the creator of the alternative steampunk universe of Pax Britannia, and have written eight novels featuring the debonair dandy adventurer Ulysses Quicksilver.
As well as my fiction work, I have also written a number of non-fiction books including 'Match Wits with the Kids', 'What is Myrrh Anyway? Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas' and 'YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks'.